Yes it’s still hot here in the San Joaquin Valley but soon the leaves will change and the fog will set in.  So if your considering outdoor family portraits with fall foliage now is the time to think about booking.

In the last two years several clients have missed out on the fall colors because they waited too long to get an appointment, before they knew it the leaves were gone. So if outdoor fall photos is something you’ve been considering don’t procrastinate call us today.

Well Sunday’s Act Fundraiser has come and gone and we had a blast with Terry and Joe from 4-Legged Babies.  We met lots of nice canines and raised some good coin to benefit less fortunate dogs.  We will do this again soon in the Sierra Vista Mall in ACT’s adoption center, the date to be set soon. Here are some photos from the shoot including cartoon dogs on some Dawgs (huh wonder who’s Dawgs- Terry’s!).

In the days of film professional photographers were very cognizant of what they were trying to achieve due to the cost of film and developing.  They put a lot of thought and experience into every click of the shutter.

Today you can blast away until you run out of memory and see if got what you want. However, thinking like the days of film will make you a better photographer, for one thing you won’t waste time, you’ll avoid frustration and miss less photo opportunities. It is impossible to recreate the spontaneous!  There is no way the average family can have a professional around all the time.  

Hey I’m a professional photographer in Visalia and sure I want your business but I know every family in America has a camera and needs to take many of their own photos.  So why not make them as good as they can be?

One way to get good pictures more often is to ask yourself what am I trying to acheive before you click the shutter.  Secondly observe the result of each shutter click. And last memorize the situations that resulted in good snap shots and repeat them.

Professional photographers know that photographs serve many purposes.  Photographs can be used to document history, crimes, accidents, property damage, injuries and scientific material.  These types of photos must be all they can be from the click of the shutter.  They should not be photoshopped in any manner as to distort reality and this must be kept in mind before the shoot.

Photographs can be used as art and in this situation the are no holds barred. Reality can be distorted by the way the shot was setup to major revisions in photoshop. So think before you shoot, observe the results and memorize what works, so you can delete less and enjoy more.

A couple of times a year we get together with 4 Legged Babies of Fresno and do a pet portrait event.  The next one has been scheduled for Sunday May 16.  This time we will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Animal Compassion Team (ACT) of Fresno which operates a non kill shelter.  They have a new adoption center in the Sierra Vista Mall which is open on weekends.

We have a blast every time we do this event. If you would like to participate call Terry at 4 Legged Babies to schedule your sitting time. Her number is 559-226-4058. Shooting by appointment makes things go nice and smooth no waiting in lines.

The basic shoot is $25.00 with $5.00 going to ACT.  You get an 8 x 10 or 2-5 x 7′s or 3-4 x 6′s or a sheet of wallets your choice  for that price, printed on the spot! Other print products are available to order.

So come get an up to date portrait of your four legged family member and help the less fortunate dogs of our Valley at the same time!!!

Valentines day has prompted some questions about our Intimate Images services.  So I thought it would be helpful to post a little about our philosophy. Intimate Images (boudoir) are intended to be glamorous, flattering, sexy, flirty, seductive, artsy and fun.  They range from pin-ups to Maxim type poses.  They make unique gifts for your significant other that only you can give him.We accentuate your positive attributes and make you look amazing! Intimate images are not intended to be graphic or vulgar.

These photo sessions are like fantasy glamour camp.  They usually run two hours with lots of costume changes and you get to be a model for a day. Like going to fantasy baseball or rock camp.

Ladies are you currently modeling or thinking about giving it a shot? Well Maxim magazine is holding their annual Hometown Hotties contest. The winner will be featured in Maxim magazine.  Winning would be a hugh break and coming close will garner plenty of attention. The deadline is March 31st. To enter you must up load 3 images they don’t have to be professional but if you look at your competition you’ll see that they all are. So we’re offering a special package for those of you who want to give it a shot. For $179.00 you get an hour session, three 8 x 10 prints, three low rez pictures for entering, and three high rez picture files in case you make the cut!   Hey you can kill two birds with one stone and give one of the prints to your significant other as a gift that keeps giving. You can check out your competition and enter at maxim.com.

I’d like to start this new year by thanking all of our clients that have supported us during our first year of business.

It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years since the new millennium began. Time sure does fly making our business name Time Stopper seem more appropriate everyday.  Photos certainly help us capture those special moments that just fly by in the blink of an eye.  Our kids grow up, styles change and so do we. In a few years we’ll be attending New Millennium theme parties. 

So what have we been up to at the start of this year?  Well, we are doing a commercial shoot for Pollen Ranch Wild Crafted Spices so the studio smells delicious.  Pollen Ranch packages wild fennel pollen, dill pollen and other gourmet spice combinations that are unique and delicious.  We were customers of theirs before they were clients of ours.  Every steak that hits the barbecue at home is seasoned with Pollen Ranch spices.

Happy new Year!

Now if you have  a photo session published on line you can order holiday cards on line. Just pick a template and put in your own text.  These are 4×8 cards and include envelopes.

We recently finished a commercial shoot for Alicia Evans Clothing.  Our assignment was an on line catalogue of their Objex clothing line. Objex has the unique feature of being a sports type bra or workout top that has a hidden pocket to carry your ipod, phone, keys, cash, id, etc. We also designed the hang tag for this product. I have added a link to their web site so you can view their unique product and our photography.

This is the beginning of my new web site which includes a blog to keep you all up to date with what is going on at Time Stopper Photography. I wasn't satisfied with the capabilites of my old site so with the help of James Callaway I'm in the process of upgrading. My goal is to keep it easy to navigate while providing all the information required to serve my clients better.